South Carolina star running back Marcus Lattimore received in the words of coach Steve Spurrier a "severe" right knee injury in Saturday’s game against Tennessee. Lattimore took a helmet to the knee during the game's second quarter. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Columbia, S.C.

Gamecocks officials announced later Lattimore is out indefinitely.

Lattimore’s knee appeared to buckle after taking the hit from Volunteers defensive back Eric Gordon at 4:59 of the second quarter, and trainers rushed out to tend to him. The entire South Carolina bench went onto the field to support him, as did more than half the Tennessee players.

"I just tried to tell him to stay mentally strong," said receiver Ace Sanders, whose eyes teared up when discussing Lattimore. "I saw the look in in his eyes when he was on the ground and he was really heartbroken."

Lattimore had a towel over his head as he was carted off the field, and also had his left hand toward his face, undoubtedly devastated by the injury.

ESPN sideline reporter Jenn Brown said that Lattimore's mother made her way down to console her son, and both were crying.

"Unfortunately, we'll just have to do what we did last year," Spurrier told ESPN afterward. "He's such a wonderful man. Good things will happen for Marcus Lattimore. I don't know in what field of life, but he's a wonderful guy. He's going to do well in whatever he does."

As a junior, it was thought that Lattimore would be headed to the NFL after this season, but this injury could derail those plans. Lattimore had 597 yards and 10 touchdowns entering the Tennessee game.

South Carolina had national championship hopes entering the season, but a blowout win over Georgia was followed by losses to LSU and Florida in successive weeks. That let a lot of air out of the Gamecocks' balloon, and Lattimore's injury lets even more air leak out. At least Saturday brought one positive: South Carolina held off Tennessee 38-35.

Lattimore was a star instantly as a freshman in 2010, rushing for 1,149 yards and 17 touchdowns. He already holds South Carolina records with 41 touchdowns—38 have come on the ground.

Former South Carolina defensive lineman Melvin Ingram, a first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers last April, posted on Twitter, "Your in my prayers bro." Several other sports figures sent their wishes via social media, including U.S. women's soccer star Abby Wambach, LSU coach Les Miles and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.